Yearly Archives: 2016

Gig review: NERINA PALLOT – Gorilla, Manchester, 14 April 2016

NERINA PALLOT - Gorilla, Manchester, 14 April 2016

Nernia Pallot was, by her own admission, ‘a little bit pissed’.  Not with life, the world, or Manchester.  No, it was a state induced by pre-gig drinks, and a steady influx of rose wine. Not that it affected a suitably … Continue reading

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Album review: NERINA PALLOT – The Sound And The Fury

NERINA PALLOT - The Sound And The Fury

INgrooves/Idaho Records [Release date 11.09.15] It’s almost a decade since GRTR!’s last dalliance with the hugely underrated Nerina Pallot. 10 years ago it seemed that with her sophomore release, Fires, she was on the verge of becoming one of Britain’s … Continue reading

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Album review: DAN PATLANSKY – Introvertigo

DAN PATLANSKY – Introvertigo

Caroline International P&D [Release date 06.05.16] Dan Patlansky tell us ‘Introvertigo’ is a concept album, but you’d have to delve into an urban dictionary to discover that the title means: “The dizzy feeling an introvert gets when he or she … Continue reading

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Album review: SANTANA – Santana IV

SANTANA - Santana IV

Santana IV Records [Release date 15.04.16] In the early 1970s, Santana ‘III’ was the soundtrack of my youth, an album when the band consolidated their Latin Rock credentials and arguably one of their strongest offerings.  The album is awash with … Continue reading

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Gig review: FISH – Aylesbury Waterside, 11 April 2016

Fish - Glasgow ABC, 17 May 2013

Who says nostalgia is not what is used to be? On an emotional night in Aylesbury, Fish played to an eager full house, exposing tenderness, passion and humour in a set of powerful songs, personal memories and local connections that … Continue reading

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Album review: THUNDERSTONE – Apocalypse Again

THUNDERSTONE – Apocalypse Again

AFM Records [Release date 01.04.16] Thunderstone are another one of AFM’s hidden treasures that I’ve never actually listened to before and now they return with their sixth studio release “Apocalypse Again”. Guitarist Nino Laurenne put the band together back in … Continue reading

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Gig review: HRH PROG – Pwllheli, Wales, 17-19 March 2016

Arthur Brown - HRH Prog - Pwllheli, Wales, 17-20 March 2016

I remember the first time I attended the HRH Prog festival which was held at the ice cold Magna Centre in Rotherham; boy was it cold, even the artists had coats on whilst they performed! But it looks like we … Continue reading

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Gig review: HAMMERFEST – Pwllheli, Wales, 10-13 March 2016

HAMMERFALL -  Pwllheli, Wales, 10-13 March 2016

Hammerfest is hard, it’s loud, and it’s brutal and yet again it threatens apocalyptic damage on the peaceful site in Pwllheli. Now in its 8th reign yet again it is being hosted under the HRH United umbrella along with HRH … Continue reading

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Album review: VARIOUS – Heavy Psych Sounds

VARIOUS - Heavy Psych Sounds

http://www.heavypsychsounds.com [Release date 08.04.16] Remember the days when you would go into your local record store and there would be just two categories of music – Rock and Pop, maybe if there was an upstairs or a downstairs, there might … Continue reading

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Album review: HUMAN FORTRESS – Thieves Of The Night

HUMAN FORTRESS – Thieves Of The Night

AFM Records [Release date 18.03.16] “Thieves of the Night” is German melodic metal band Human Fortress’s follow up to the well-received “Raided Land”. The band deal in a genre populated by bands such as Kamelot, Avantasia and Virgin Steele according … Continue reading

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Album review: ANTHONY PHILLIPS – Private Parts & Pieces I-IV, Wise After The Event, Sides (reissues)

Anthony Phillips - Private Parts & Pieces

This complete programme was first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in March 2015.  Anthony Phillips chats to David Randall about his career, with tracks from his solo albums including “The Missing Links” series and his more recent collaboration … Continue reading

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Album review: CHRIS OUSEY – Dream Machine

CHRIS OUSEY - Dream Machine

Escape Music [Release date 22.04.16] Chris Ousey has taken time out from fronting Snakecharmer to release his follow-up to his 2011 album ‘Rhyme & Reason’. He is joined by various guest musicians including fellow Snakecharmer Adam Wakeman, Tommy Denander and … Continue reading

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Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

The renaissance of Romeo’s Daughter has been one of the unlikeliest stories in rock of recent years. After reforming after a 15 odd year break for Firefest in 2009, subsequent tours with FM then led to a couple of fresh … Continue reading

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Gig review: RECKLESS LOVE – Scala, London, 31 March 2016

Santa Cruz - Scala, London, 31  March 2016

Unlikely though it may seem, Finland is a country with one of the biggest associations with glam rock past and present. It was Hanoi Rocks who arguably blazed the trail in seminal fashion for the LA scene that was to … Continue reading

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Album review: ANDY FRASCO AND THE U.N. – Happy Bastards

ANDY FRASCO AND THE U.N. – Happy Bastards

Ruf [Release date 26.02.16] Often described as a party band full of ‘orchestrated chaos’, Southern Californian outfit Andy Frasco and the U.N. is no such thing on record. They are every bit as organized and astute as Zappa was in … Continue reading

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Album review: JOHN ILLSLEY – Long Shadows

JOHN ILLSLEY – Long Shadows

Pete Feenstra chatted to John Illsley about his new album and his influences in a one-hour special broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 24 April.  This is repeated on Thursday 28 April at 23:00 GMT.  In this … Continue reading

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Album review: CIRCUS MAXIMUS – Havok

CIRCUS MAXIMUS - Havok

Frontiers www.frontiers.it [Release date 18.03.16] Circus Maximus have been around since 2000 and this is album number four from them. Previously they have been more into straight ahead prog metal recalling bands like Kamelot and Symphony X, this time though … Continue reading

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Album review: THE BLACK CIRCLES – Undone

THE BLACK CIRCLES – Undone

Self Release [Release date 05.03.16] The Black Circles is a power trio from Warrington who made an initial splash with their ‘From The Top’ EP/CD, released about a year ago. Those 4 tracks are all included here and accurately reflect … Continue reading

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EP reviews: THE BOSTON SHAKERS, LIBERTY SHIP

Liberty Ship

LIBERTY SHIP http://www.libertyshipband.com/ Liberty Ship I discovered at the Broken Witt Rebels gig, who this band preceded. They hail from Sheffield, where they have been creating a bit of a buzz locally and I picked their six song CD up at … Continue reading

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Album review: CONNIE LUSH BAND – Renaissance

CONNIE LUSH BAND – Renaissance

Boom Recordings [Release date 15.04.16] ‘Renaissance’ is easily Connie Lush’s best album as she embraces a new sophistication with strong songs, an intuitive production and subtle band support, all of which is illuminated the clarity of John Astley’s mastering. When … Continue reading

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Gig review: BROKEN WITT REBELS – Water Rats, London, 2 April 2016

BROKEN WITT REBELS - Water Rats, London, 2 April 2016

Another new venue to me, although it has been hosting gigs since the early 1960′s, albeit then under another name, The Pindar of Wakefield. Bob Dylan, the Pogues and, err, Katy Perry have graced the stage here. A front bar/dining … Continue reading

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Album review: BELLOWHEAD – Live The Farewell Tour

BELLOWHEAD - Live The Farewell Tour

Navigator Records [Release date 08.04.16] Bellowhead formed in 2004 and since then they have headed major UK and international festivals, selling out tours of major concert halls and selling in excess of 250,000 albums. Their last studio album, ‘Revival’ debuted … Continue reading

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Album review: KYLA BROX – Throw Away Your Blues

KYLA BROX – Throw Away Your Blues

Pigskin Records [Release date 15.04.16] From the opening gospel feel of ‘If You See Him’ to the closing heartfelt love song ‘I Will Love You More’, this album reconfirms Kyla Brox as a peerless confessional – sometime torch singer – … Continue reading

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Album review: SANDS HALL – Rustler’s Moon

SANDS HALL - Rustler

[Release date 01.08.14] Better known as a writer, theatre director, and actor, Sands Hall has played the guitar since the age of 16, but it’s taken her until her sixties to release her first album. Inspired since an early age … Continue reading

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EP review: DREAM ETERNAL BLISS, THREE DAYS FROM RETIREMENT

DREAM ETERNAL BLISS

DREAM ETERNAL BLISS DEB EP New Jersey debutants Dream Eternal Bliss deliberately bringing together the 80s pop of bands like Berlin, Roxette, and Duran Duran, and fuse it with the AOR melodic dexterity of bands like Toto on their debut … Continue reading

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